NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-007

NTSB safety recommendation P-85-007.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION, THE INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, AND THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE: NOTIFY MEMBER COMPANIES OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PIPELINE ACCIDENT IN BEAUMONT, KENTUCKY, ON APRIL 27, 1985, AND URGE THEM TO REVIEW THEIR CATHODIC PROTECTION TEST STATION RECORDS FOR PIPE INSTALLED IN CASING, TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A DIRECT OR PARTIAL ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT, TO CONDUCT NECESSARY INSPECTIONS AND TESTS TO CONFIRM OR REJECT THE EXISTENCE OF CORROSION, AND TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO RESTORE CATHODIC PROTECTION AND TO ELIMINATE UNSAFE CONDITIONS. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1985-06-10

Adopted Date: 1985-06-06

Overall Date Closed: 2001-03-29

Synopsis: ABOUT 9:15 P.M. C.S.T., ON APRIL 27, 1985, NATURAL GAS AT ABOUT 960 PSIG RUPTURED A 30-INCH DIAMETER PIPELINE, TORE OUT ABOUT 29 FEET OF THE CARRIER PIPE, BLEW APART ABOUT 16 FEET OF A 36-INCH DIAMETER CASING PIPE, BLASTED AN OPENING ACROSS KENTUCKY STATE HIGHWAY 90, AND CUT OUT A PEAR-SHAPED CRATER APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET LONG, 38 FEET WIDE, AND 12 FEET DEEP ABOUT 2 MILES EAST OF BEAUMONT, KENTUCKY. THE ESCAPING NATURAL GAS IGNITED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND INCINERATED AN AREA EXTENDING 800 FEET NORTH AND SOUTH AND 600 FEET EAST AND WEST OF THE RUPTURE. FIVE PERSONS WERE KILLED IN A HOUSE ABOUT 320 FEET NORTH OF THE RUPTURE, AND THREE PERSONS WERE INJURED IN A HOUSETRAILER ABOUT 330 FEET SOUTH OF THE RUPTURE. THE GAS-FED FIRE DESTROYED TWO HOUSES, THREE HOUSETRAILERS, A SAWMILL, TWO BARNS, A SCHOOLBUS, NUMEROUS PARKED AND ABANDONED AUTOMOBILES, AND NINE PIECES OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA85FP011

Report Number: PAR-87-01

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2001-03-29

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2000-08-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 08/30/2000 4:14:50 PM MC# 2001184 8/23/00: Since its previous communication (10-25-85) with the NTSB on this subject, AGA worked with the State Industry Regulatory Review Committee (SIRRC) on numerous safety standards. In 1997 industry and the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) proceeded in a joint initiative to form the SIRCC. This committee has addressed areas of the pipeline safety regulations that are of concern to both parties. The SIRRC agreed in its April 26, 1999 summary report to a consensus standard to modify 49 CFR 192.483(d) Remedial Measures: General. This was presented to OPS in a May 3, 1999 letter. SIRRC reached consensus on the following language for a new paragraph 192.483(d): (d) If it is determined that a casing is electrically shorted to a pipeline the operator shall: (1) Clear the short, if practical, or (2) Fill the casing with a corrosion inhibiting material, or (3) Monitor for leakage with leak detection equipment at least once each calendar year at intervals not exceeding 15 months, or (4) Conduct an initial inspection with an internal inspection device capable of detecting external corrosion in a cased pipeline, and repeat at least every five years at intervals not to exceed 63 months. The Office of Pipeline Safety has already adopted several SIRRC consensus standards. AGA will urge OPS to adopt the new provisions of 49 CFR 197.483(d). AGA will notify the NTSB if the SIRRC proposal is adopted and the NTSB may wish to re-evaluate safety recommendation P-85-7 after codification of the new rule.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-10-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WE BELIEVE THAT NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION P-85-7, AS CURRENTLY WORDED, WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO COMPLY WITH AND RAISES TECHNICAL QUESTIONS CONCERNING SHORTED CASINGS. CORROSION CONTROL PERSONNEL DO NOT GENERALLY CONSIDER "PARTIAL ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUITS" TO BE A VALID TERM. THUS, ITS DELETION FROM THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD AVOID UNNECESSARY CONTROVERSY. SIMILARLY, MOST CORROSION CONTROL PERSONNEL WILL ARGUE THAT COMMONLY USED ELECTRICAL TEST METHODS ARE NOT CONCLUSIVE. THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION WHICH MUST BE EVALUATED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. FINALLY, RESTORATION OF CATHODIC PROTECTION IS NOT THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE CORROSION CONTROL MEASURE AVAILABLE, ANOTHER BEING THE FILLING OF THE SHORTED CASING WITH A HIGHLY DIELECTRIC BEING THE FILLING OF THE SHORTED CASING WITH A HIGHLY DIELECTRIC MATERIAL. WE SUGGEST THAT THE WORDING IN P-85-7 BE CHANGES AS NOTED BY THE FOLLOWING UNDERLINED WORDING: NOTIFY MEMBER COMPANIES OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PIPELINE ACCIDENT IN BEAUMONT, KY, ON APRIL 27, 1985, AND URGE THEM TO REVIEW THEIR CATHODIC PROTECTION TEST STATION RECORDS FOR PIPE INSTALLED IN CASING, TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A "SHORT CIRCUIT, AND TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 192.467(C) OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS." WE UNDERSTAND THE INTENT OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION, BUT DESIRE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN DETERMINING THE BEST WAY TO COMPLY. AS A RELATED ISSUE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE INSTALLATION OF CASINGS IN GENERAL SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL PIPELINE COMPANIES. THE NEED FOR CASING IS A "CASE-BY-CASE" SITUATION BEST DETERMINED BY THE ON-SITE ENGINEERS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY SUPPORT YOU CAN GIVE US TOWARD RELAXATION OF "BLANKET" REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROSSING RAILROAD RIGHTS-OF-WAY.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2000-06-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE LEARNING OF ANY ACTIONS TAKEN OR PLANNED TO COMPLY WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-03-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The AGA has worked with the State Industry Regulatory Review Committee on numerous safety standards, including the drafting of a proposed rule change to 49 CFR 192.483(d) Remedial Measures: General, with a new paragraph 192.483(d), on actions an operator should take when the casing to a pipeline is electrically shorted. The rule change constitutes an acceptable alternate means of meeting the intent of the recommendation. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation P-85-7 is classified “Closed--Acceptable Alternate Action.”

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1986-02-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Name: American Petroleum Institute

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1985-08-19

Addressee Acronym: API

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-06-20

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: API LTR: THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 10, 1985, TO CHARLES J. DIBONA CONVEYING THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD'S (NTSB) SAFETY RECOMMENDATION P-85-7. AS YOU HAVE REQUESTED, MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE ACIDENT IN BEAUMONT, KENTUCKY ON APRIL 27, 1985. WE HAVE URGED THE COMPANIES TO REVIEW THEIR RECORDS OF CORROSION TEST RESULTS AND TAKE SUCH STEPS AS THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE.

Addressee Name: Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1985-06-18

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-06-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INGAA LTR: ENCLOSED FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS A COPY OF THE MEMO TO INGAA'S MEMBERSHIP NOTIFYING THEM OF NTSB'S RECOM MENDATION P-85-7. IN CONSONANCE WITH INGAA'S EXISTING POLICY, THE INCIDENT AND NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE AN AGENDA ITEM AT THE NEXT INGAA PIPELINE SAFETY MEETING (JULY 30, 1985) AND AT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING (SEPT. 10, 1985).

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-10-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1985-11-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence